Protective cage for bowling alleys



Jan. 6, 1942. STQKES 2,268,969

. PROTECTIVE CAGE FOR BOWLING ALLEYS F ilecl March 17, 1941 2 Sheets-She et 1 I nvenio r: Ha?? cStokes,

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Jan. 6, 1942.

H. STOKES 2,268,969

PROTECTIVE CAGE -FOR BOWLING ALLEYS Filed March 17, 1941 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 24 Ina/anion- Harry fizkes,

Patented Jan. 6, 1942 UNHTED STATES PATENT OFFICE 2,268,969 PROTECTIVE CAGE FOR BOWLING ALLEYS Harry Stokes, Lexington, Mass. Applicatiofi March 1'7, 1941, Serial No. 383,670

6 Claims. (Cl. 273-54) This invention relates to improved bowling alley construction and particularly to means for affording protection to the pin boys during bowling.

may be readily understood, I have disclosed a single embodiment of my invention in the accompanying drawings, wherein Fig.- 1 is a perspective View of the end of two adjacent alleys where the pins are set up, and of the protective cage means thereby provided for the pinboy or attendant; l

Fig. 2 is a plan view of the cage in its preferred form;

Fig. 3 is a front elevation of the structure shown in Fig. 2, and representing the door in closed or protecting position;

Fig. 4 is a side elevation. of the construction shown in Figs. 2 and 3, and representing the door in solid lines as. closed and in dotted lines as open;

Fig. 5 is a detail in plan of the door supporting means at one upper corner thereof only; and

Fig. 6 is a detail, partly in transverse section, of the construction shown in Fig. 5.

It is a well known fact that in bowling with ten pins, duck pins, candle pins, etc., the pin boys or attendants whose duty it. is to set up the pins and who must, therefore, be stationed close to the areas Where the pins are set up, are constantly in danger of being struck on the body and head by the balls or the pins. It is not at all unusual for a pin boy or attendant to be severely cut or bruised by a ball which has been deflected by dead wood from its course or by a pin that has been knocked over. It is well known that in bowling the players throw or roll the bowl with a great deal of force and the pin boys or attendants must be constantly alert, to escape injury.

The purpose of my invention is to provide means whereby a pin boy or attendant may be sheltered from the flying pins or deflected balls, but so that he can almost instantly step or reach to the knocked over pins to reset them, and to return the balls to the players.

It has been proposed in the patent to Cahill, No. 1,569,260, January 121, 1926, to provide a bowling alley in which alternate runways thereof have the pin set-up areas at opposite ends, being tapering in width to provide wide pin set-up areas and in such case a frame netting was pro vided positioned horizontally over each pin setup area to prevent the pins from flying into the air, such frame netting also continuing down at In order that the principle of the invention V the sides betweenadjacent runways This, however, gave no protection to the pinboys, nor was it intended for that purpose,- So far as I am aware no satisfactory oreffective -means has heretofore been provided for the protection of the pin boys during bowling, and'they mustrely wholly upon their agility to escape the flying missile-like objects.

My invention contemplates the provision ofa cage or cages, a plurality thereof being preferably provided for a bowling alley, and the number thereof, of course, depending upon the number of runways. Desirably, but not necessarily, each cage is so positioned that the pin boy seated therein is between two adjacent alleys, so that his two feet are. at respective sides of the partition in or at the pit. This permits the pin boy to step. instantly to either-runway which he is tending so as to set up the pins, etc. My invention is not limited to the particular structure or arrangement of pits, which, however, are custolmarily provided, and my invention is particularly. adapted for use in bowling alleys having pits, and will be so described. l i

Referring more particularly to the single. embodiment only of the invention herein disclosed, and. first to Fig. 1, two of the adjacent runways are indicated at I, l, and it will be understood that the number of runways, and consequently the number of protective cages, will be varied'according to the available space. The said runways are provided with the areas 2, wheremthe pins are to be set up in usual manner, and at the left hand runway I have represented at 3, ten pins set up in usual manner. Laterally adjacent each runway is the gutter or trough 4 extending to and terminating in the pits 5 which, if provided, may be of usualdepth, and between adjacent pits constituting partitions across the en,- tire pit structure is one or more upright partitions 6, each terminating preferably substantially flush with the top I of the back wall or walls 8 of the pitor pits 5. This arrangement provides a seat-like structure or ledge 9 extending transversely of the runways back of the pit or pits 5.

The return tracks or racks for the balls may be provided as usual, and one of them is indicated at H).

The cage construction may be varied within the scope of my invention, and if the endwall of the room is closely adjacent to the pit or pits, the cage or cages may be secured to or extend from such end wall. Preferably, however, the cages are formed as separate structures and may be held or secured removably in proper position in any suitable manner to the floor, or preferably to the ledge 9, as by bolts or screws extending into the ledge 9 and engaging brackets at the lower edge of the cage, which brackets may overlie the bottom rod or member II of the cage, which as an entirety is indicated at I2 in Fig. 2.

Referring to the selected embodiment of my invention, the cage I2 is indicated in Fig. 1 as of such dimensions and so positioned with relation to two adjacent pits and the transverse partition 6 therebetween, that the pin boy or attendant may sit within the cage I2 upon the horizontal ledge 9, which usually is at such a level above the bottom of the pit 5 that the feet of a pin boy sitting on the ledge 9 are more or less above the bottom of the pit. This being so, the boy, sitting with one leg at either side of the partition 6 and his body and head being within the cage, can quickly swing open the door of the cage, in a manner to be described, to set up quickly the pins and return the ball or balls.

The cage I2 is herein shown as of general semi-cylindrical form in transverse section and therefore is provided with the lower, substantially semi-circular member II and a similarly shaped upper member I3. The said members I I, I3 and the connecting uprights I4, I5 constitute the parts of a pipe or rod or bar frame of suitable dimensions. For example, but without in any way limiting my invention thereto, the entire height of the cage may be about 3 feet, and it may be about 2 feet in width at the front thereof, with a suitable depth, such, for example, as about 15 inches from the center from which is struck the curve for the top and bottom members II, I3. Said members II, I3, I4, I5 receive the mesh or net material I6, preferably of wire. The cage is desirably entirely open at the top I1, though it may be closed, as by being provided with mesh, within the scope of my invention. The mesh, which is indicated in part at I8 in Fig. 1 and elsewhere, is desirably welded to the pipe frame consisting of the parts I I, I3, I4, I5, and is finished at the edges so as to prevent tearing clothing. To render the structure attractive in appearance the pipe frame is chromeplated or equivalently finished. The mesh is of suitable dimensions, as, for example, 1 inches mesh wire.

The cage structure, as just described, is provided with a door I9 which is hinged preferably across the top, though within the scope of my invention it may be hinged along one vertical edge, or may be constructed to slide vertically or to have a combined upward sliding and swinging movement, being suitably supported for that purpose. The door may be hinged in any suitable manner, but in Fig. 5 I have indicated the construction employed at the two upper corners thereof, shown generally at 20, 2|. At each of said corners I preferably provide a bracket 22, shown in plan in Fig. 5 as secured at one end to the upper member I3 of the cage frame at 23 and shaped for receiving in a bearing-like formation the top cross bar or pipe member 24 of the door at 25. A spring 26 is coiled about the cross member or pipe member 24 of the door with the ends thereof extending respectively under a part of the bracket 22 and into the frame of the door I9, as indicated in Fig. 6. The strength of the said two springs 26 may be as desired, but is preferably such as to hold the door in open position, indicated in dotted lines in Fig. 4, when the pin boy stationed within the cage shoves, swings or pushes the door from its depending protective position shown in Figs. 1, 3 and 4 into the open dotted line position shown in Fig. 4.

For convenience of manipulation, each door is preferably provided with a handle 21 (Figs. 2, 3 and 4) positioned at suitable height so as to be grasped by the pin boy from within, whereupon he instantly swings or moves the door open and attends to his duties at either of the two adjacent runways shown. It will be noted that being positioned equidistant between these two runways, he can attend either with equal quickness.

Desirably the door I9 is provided with suitable means, as, for example, of hard rubber, indicated at 28 (Fig. 4) to receive the impact of the closing movement of the door which the pin boy quickly pulls shut when he steps back to his post within the cage.

While the vertical extent of the door may be varied within the scope of my invention, it is preferably of substantially lesser height than the cage. That is to say, the said door is or may be formed of a pipe frame 29 consisting of the upper and lower transverse members and the two upright members, and the said lower transverse member may terminate at a suitable height above the bottom of the cage, as, for example, about ten inches. This permits the use of less weight or mass in the door structure and affords protection to the entire body and head of the pin boy, and, of course, permits the pin boy, indicated at 30, to sit with one leg on either side of the partition 6. Of course, the dimensions of the cage may be such that the pin boy may sit with both legs at the same side of the partition 6. The door is provided with mesh, preferably the same as that described for the body portion of the cage. Within the scope of my invention, the body of the cage may be of solid material instead of mesh material, as, for example, heavy canvas, though the mesh material is preferable, as it permits the pin boy sitting within the cage to see what is going on.

If desired, a stop or stops may be provided to prevent the door being swung above the horizontal position that is shown in dotted lines in Fig. 4, or being carried thereabove by the strength of the springs.

Instead of providing means to bolt the cage down into position, any other suitable means may be provided to hold the same in position. For example, an outwardly extending flange or rim may be provided at the lower end, sufficiently weighted and of suflicient width to retain the cage in place, such flange or rim extending entirely about the cage, or continuously about the same excepting for the width of the lower door; or, if desired, hooks may be provided at the lower end that can be quickly engaged with staples or other securing means upon the floor or ledge; or the cage may be provided with a bottom upon which the user of the cage sits, and so holds the same in place.

By the term mesh employed in the specification, I mean any material having a multiplicity of openings. Preferably I employ some material made of wire, as, for example, so-called chicken coop wire of preferably rather small mesh.

I have stated that the top may or may not be closed. Preferably it is closed, and I have indicated the top or cover at 29 (Fig. 2), which may be of mesh material or material that is without openings, preferably the former. I have indicated the same as terminating at its front edge sufficiently back of the top of the door to permit the latter to open. The said top or cover is preferably a permanent part of the entire cage structure, but omitted from Fig. 1 for clearness.

Having thus described one illustrative embodiment of the invention, it is to be understood that although specific terms are employed, they are used in a generic and descriptive sense and not for purposes of limitation, the scope of the invention being set forth in the following claims.

I claim:

1. For use particularly in a bowling alley having a runway with an area at one end for receiving the pins as set in playing position and having a pit extending transversely of said runway at the end thereof, a protective enclosing cage for the pin boy or attendant, positionable at the opposite side of the pit from the said runway, but close to the upright back wall of the pit, so that the pin boy or attendant may sit inside the cage in convenient position for quickly resetting the pins, the said cage including an upright body framework for enclosing the pin boy or attendant and having a door hinged thereto and of sufficient vertical extent to protect the head and body of the pin body but permitting him while sitting within the cage when so positioned to extend his legs into the pit in readiness to reset the pins.

2. A structure according to claim 1, but in which the said door is hinged at its upper end to the upper end of the framework of the cage and extends downward and terminates at a sufficient distance above the bottom of the cage to permit the pin boy or attendant to sit when the cage is positioned, upon the usual ledge at the back of the pit.

3. A protective cage for the use and protection of pin boys or attendants in bowling alleys, including a framework consisting of upper and lower members connected by upright members, said upper and lower members being so shaped as to constitute a housing portion, mesh or network material secured to said framework, and a door hinged along one of its dimensions to the framework of the cage, said door having a mesh or net extending entirely across the same, the said cage being of dimensions permitting it to be positioned just back of the pit of the runway so that a pin boy may sit within the cage in position quickly to reset the pins at the end of the runway.

4. A structure according to claim 3, but in which, the door is hinged at the upper transverse end thereof to the upper end of the framework of the cage, the said door terminating substantially short of the lower end of the cage, so as to permit a pin boy seated within the cage to have his legs within the pit in convenient position for resetting the pins.

5. For use particularly in a, bowling alley having at least two adjacent runways, each with an area at the same end for receiving the pins as set in playing position, and wherein each such runway has a pit extending transversely thereof, back of and in proximity to the said pins when in playing position, and wherein there is a relatively low transverse upright constituting the back of the said pit, whereon a pin boy or attendant may sit in readiness to reset the pins and return the balls, a protective enclosing cage for the pin boy or attendant when sitting on said transverse upright, said cage having a front open-work screen portion positionable to extend transversely to the runways back of portions of said two adjacent pits, but, when positioned, terminating short of the bottom of said pits, and behind which screening portion the pin boy or attendant may sit in readiness to reset the balls on either of said two runways, the said cage being a'framework consisting of a body having network sides and back, and the front screen portion being a door hinged at its upper edge to the framework of the body so that it may be grasped by the pin boy or attendant and swung up out of his way to permit him to reset the pins and return the balls.

6. A structure according to claim 5, but in which the said cage has a transversely extending front screen portion that is hinged along one of its edges to the framework of the cage and in which structure spring means is provided to assist in the movement of the said front screen portion into open position.

HARRY STOKES 

